2 Kings 18:12
in 2 Kings 18This happened because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD their God, but violated His covenant—all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded—and would neither listen nor obey.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
because they obeyed not the voice of Jehovah their God, but transgressed his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded, and would not hear it, nor do it.
KJV
Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
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This verse in 2 Kings 18
Commentary
6 notes on this verseBecause they obeyed not the voice of the Lord,.... In his law, and by his prophets: but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded; which evils are at large insisted on in the preceding chapter as the cause of their captivity: and would not hear them, nor do them; contrary to the agreement of their fathers at Sinai, who promised to do both, Exo 24:3.
This site's exposition
The king of Assyria exiled the Israelites
on 2 Kings 18:11-12
The exile formula matches the wording chapter 17 gave in full. Verse 12 states the covenant charge in plain legal terms: they "violated His covenant," and "would neither listen nor obey". Deuteronomy 28 named exile as the covenant's own penalty long before either king in this chapter was born.
This site's exposition
violated His covenant
Henry reads the repetition as the spur behind Hezekiah's reform: Judah had watched Israel's idolatry end in exile. His picture is a neighbour's house on fire. Gill hears the voice of the LORD in both the covenant Moses commanded and the prophets sent after it, as chapter 17 sets out.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
This was related more largely in the foregoing chapter, but it is here repeated, 1. As that which stirred up Hezekiah and his people to purge out idolatry with so much zeal, because they saw the ruin which it brought upon Israel. When their neighbour's house was on fire, and their own in danger, it was time to cast away the accursed thing.
Yet is invaded, and his country put under contribution by Sennacherib, ver. 13-16. Jerusalem is besieged, ver. 17. The virulent speech of Rabshakeh, ver. 18-25.
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The descent he made upon Judah was a great calamity to that kingdom, by which God would try the faith of Hezekiah and chastise the people, who are called a hypocritical nation ( Isa. x.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַ֣ל׀ | ʾal | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמְע֗וּ | shameu | they had listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| בְּקוֹל֙ | bekol | to [the] voice of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם | ʾeloheihem | God their | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וַיַּעַבְרוּ֙ | vaiyaavru | and they had transgressed | H5674 → | 556 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּרִית֔וֹ | berito | covenant his | H1285 → | 284 times |
| אֵ֚ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֔ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| עֶ֣בֶד | ʾeved | [the] servant of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמְע֖וּ | shameu | they listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| עָשֽׂוּ׃ פ | ʾasu | they did | H6213 → | 2628 times |
עַ֣ל׀on
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמְע֗וּthey had listened
shameuH8085 →1159 times
בְּקוֹל֙to [the] voice of
bekolH6963 →506 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔םGod their
ʾeloheihemH430 →2601 times
וַיַּעַבְרוּ֙and they had transgressed
vaiyaavruH5674 →556 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּרִית֔וֹcovenant his
beritoH1285 →284 times
אֵ֚ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֔הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
עֶ֣בֶד[the] servant of
ʾevedH5650 →799 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמְע֖וּthey listened
shameuH8085 →1159 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
עָשֽׂוּ׃ פthey did
ʾasuH6213 →2628 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 7:23but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that…
it leads to
- Exodus 15:26
saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then…
- Deuteronomy 5:33
You must walk in all the ways that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
- Exodus 19:5–6
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Jeremiah 42:6
Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us, for we will obey…
- Hebrews 5:9
And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him
- Exodus 15:26
Through
Deuteronomy 34:5So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, as the LORD had said.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:50
And there on the mountain that you climb, you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.
- Deuteronomy 32:50
Through
Micah 3:4Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
it leads to
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Proverbs 1:28
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
- Isaiah 1:15
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.